1          Additional proceedings regarding woodworking machines

1.1      Introduction

As an addition to the general principles that apply to all the machines, from the utility point of view of the employer — the user of the machines — the most important inspections of used machines include two types of inspections:

·        initial — combined with a possible adjustment of the machine to meet the minimum safety requirements as set out in the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 30 October 2002 on the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using engines at work (Journal of Laws No 191, item 1596). This inspection in the case of woodworking machines should be complemented by checking if the requirements of the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 14 April 2000 on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines are fulfilled.

·        periodical — covering the most important aspects of the initial inspection, including key elements or characteristics (parameters) of the woodworking machine, chosen by the use of the machine based on the probable (expected) faults, change of parameters or characteristics which may have negative impact on the safe operation of woodworking machines. The inspection should cover those elements and features of the machine which have a significant impact on ensuring the safety of its use, in particular:

–     control systems and control elements which carry out safety-related functions of the machine control;

–     cutting tools and their fixing;

–     braking/stopping time;

–     covers of cutting and drives areas;

–     other protective devices, including specific devices used in woodworking machines (cleaving wedges, blowout prevention pawls, chips and dust extraction installation, etc.);

–     stability of the machine during its operation;

–     stability of the workpiece/object (tables, rails, fasteners);

–     electrical parameters (continuity of protective connection and insulation resistance).

1.2      Preliminary inspections

During the initial inspection the following order of operation can be applied:

1.    Check of the woodworking machine in accordance with the checklist based on the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 30 October 2002 on the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using engines at work — detection of nonconformities;

2.    Check of the woodworking machine in accordance with the checklist developed based on the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 14 April 2000 on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines — detection of nonconformities;

Further proceeding with detected nonconformities may include the following activities in the following order:

·        adjustment to the minimum requirements by “repair” or addition of replacements of missing elements of the machine which have the same parameters (which meet the requirements set out in the abovementioned regulations), or

·        application of ready-made solutions taken directly from the harmonized standards for the “new” woodworking machines, or

·        risk assessment in accordance with the attached sample form of risk assessment.

3.    Hazard identification is needed both to an overall risk assessment and for identified nonconformities In this regard the following actions should be taken:

·        typical issues for woodworking machines should be taken into consideration:

–      control system operation (designation, arrangement of controls, completeness of this equipment, priority of stop, start mechanical feeding at the same time or later than the cutting movement);

–     stability of the machine;

–     support of the workpiece;

–     covering of moving parts taking part in the operation;

–     covering the drives and other moving parts, the relative position of moving and fixed parts (possibility of clamping or crushing);

–     braking systems of the machine;

–     disconnection of power sources;

–     chips outlets;

–     protective and compensatory connections;

–     information about the disallowed methods of work (selection of tools, rotational speeds, etc.).

·        identify hazards by: sources of hazards, the nature of potential injuries, hazardous area, hazardous situation (performed action);

·        determine the severity of expected injuries;

·        determine the probability of event by reference to the likelihood of damage.

4.    After completing the initial inspection and adjusting the machine to meet the minimum safety requirements, there should be available documents confirming the execution of such activities (e.g. completed checklists, dated and signed by the members of machine inspection team authorized for this purpose by the employer).

Note: According to the law, these documents should be kept by the employer for the supervisory authorities for at least five years from the date of completion of the inspection. However, the documentation from the initial inspection should — for practical reasons — be kept for the whole lifetime of the machine.

1.3      Periodic inspections

As part of the periodic inspection the following variants of operation can be used:

·        inspection of the woodworking machine in accordance with the selected by user items from both checklists based on the abovementioned regulations (on the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using engines at work, and on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines) — detection of nonconformities. Further proceedings should include the repair or replacement of a defective element of the machine (e.g. the cover, control element, warning or information labelling), or the adjustment to the woodworking machine in order to restore its characteristics (braking time, delay times of the locking guards blocking devices, etc.);

·        inspection of the woodworking machine for typical issues, listed for example in the item related to hazard identification (item 3). After detecting adverse changes within any of these aspects that have occurred in the woodworking machine since its last periodic or initial inspection, appropriate corrective actions should be taken (repair or replacement of worn parts, maintenance and regulation).

After completing the periodic inspection, there should be available documents confirming the execution of such activities (e.g. completed in checklists, dated and signed by the members of machine inspection team authorized for this purpose by the employer). These documents should be kept by the employer for the supervisory authorities for at least five years from the date of completion of the inspection.

Note: A book (maintenance and inspection record) can be set up — and it is recommended to do so — for registering all inspections of a given machine (or machines) for each of the stationary machine or, in the case of hand-held machines — for a greater number of machines of the same type and similar parameters (e.g. portable circular saws, hand-held belt sanders, etc.).

1.4      Hazard identification in the case of woodworking machines

The hazard identification in the case of woodworking machines can be accomplished in several ways. The first one consists in referring to the list of significant hazards (table 2.1) determined based on the harmonized standards for the safety of “new” woodworking machines. The table shows examples of sources of hazards and hazardous areas in which the occurrence of a given hazard can be expected in the first place. This makes it easier to identify them.

Table 2.1. List of significant hazards in the case of woodworking machines

 

Activities taken as part of the initial and periodic inspections, as well as for the identification of hazards occurring due to the negative result of the inspection, may involve the checklist for inspecting the key aspects. The checklist template is shown in table 2.2. Empty rows mean that it can be supplemented and expanded with more detailed examinations.

Table 2.2 Additional list of checks as part of initial and periodic inspections

Item	Type of check	Result of check
Control systems and control elements
1.	Arrangement of control elements
2.	Equipment of the working stations with control elements
3.	Marking of control elements
4.	Starting
5.	Protection against accidental operation after a momentary power outage
6.	Normal stop
7.	Emergency stop
8.	Two-hand control elements
9.	Significant change in the mode of operation or operating parameters
10.	Mutual operation (start of operation of the tool and feed)
11.	Mutual operation (starting and normal stopping of the woodworking machine)
12.	Mutual operation (starting and emergency stopping of the woodworking machine)
13.	Visibility of hazardous areas from the operators positions
14.
Cutting tools and their fixing
15.	Fixing of cutting tools
16.	Installation, removal and replacement of cutting tools
17.	Dimensions of cutting tools
18.	Adjustment of cutting tools to machine parameters
19.	Adjustment of cutting tools to the type of processed material
20.	Condition of the cutting tools
21.
Stability of the machine and processed material
22.	Stability of the woodworking machine
23.	Stability of the processed material
24.	Fixing of the material
25.
Stopping
26.	Stopping of the woodworking machine
27.	Protection against stopping with the drive on
28.	Protection in the event of breaking a bandsaw
29.
Covers and protective devices
30.	Covers of the cutting tool and working area with manual feed of the material
31.	Covers of the cutting tool and working area with automatic feed of the material
32.	Covers of the cutting tool and drives outside the operation area
33.	Blocking device
34.	Locking device with a lock
35.	Circuit breakers
36.	Devices restricting access to the hazardous area
37.
Blowout prevention devices
38.	Cleaving wedges in one-saw circular saws
39.	Blowout prevention pawls in planers
40.	Blowout prevention pawls in multi-saw circular saws
41.	Other blowout prevention devices
42.
Hydraulic or pneumatic system
43.
Safety of maintenance works
44.
Information labels and warning signalling
45.	Warning labels on covers and in hazardous areas
46.	Nameplate
47.	Useful information (direction of movement of the tool, the cutting line, operating parameters, etc.)
48.	Other marking
49.	Visual signalling
50.	Audible signalling
Non-mechanical aspects
51.	Complete disconnection from the power supply
52.	Disconnection from the pneumatic supply
53.	Isolating device in control circuits
54.	Integrated lighting
55.	Protection against burns
56.	Protection against fire and/or explosion
57.	Protection against electric shock
58.	Reduction of noise emissions
59.	Extraction of chips and dust
60.	User manual
61.

 

1.5      Risk assessment methods in the woodworking machines inspection

There are numerous risk assessment methods. The law does not specify requirements for the selection of the specific risk assessment method. Therefore, the choice should be made based on a number of practical criteria:

1.    first, it is recommended to choose a proven, known and used method, so it can be assured that the achieved results can be applied in practice;

2.    second, the chosen method of assessment should be complete, i.e. the final result should allow taking reasonable preventive measures;

3.    third, the chosen method should be the result of the objectives we want to achieve, e.g.:

-     if we want to identify “weaknesses” of the machine, which are non-compliant with legal requirements or there are significant hazards and corrective actions are required. In this case, knowledge is needed about the measures to be taken;

-     if we want first of all to assess the risk acceptability;

-     if we want to determine precisely the significance of the impact of specific items on the results of the assessment — in order to carry out actions targeted at risk reduction.

4.    fourth, the method should be adapted to the experience and expertise of the inspection team.

The classic method of risk assessment is carried out in five steps:

1.    collection of information (about the machine, activities related to the machine, the intensity of its use, use of tools, materials, etc.) useful in further activities related to the risk assessment process;

2.    hazard identification;

3.    risk assessment, i.e. the estimation of probability and severity of the consequences of identified major hazards and making a decision if such risk is acceptable;

4.    planning to eliminate or reduce risks;

5.    documenting the risk assessment.

In some cases, however, it is not necessary to carry out all of the above risk assessment procedure steps. This may be where the risk assessment concerns a known type or kind of machine, on which there are quite specific safety requirements which also include specific proven solutions in terms of preventive measures. In such cases checking these requirements is sufficient.

In the case of woodworking machines in use, in the first place inspection can be carried out in accordance with checklists based on:

-        the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 30 October 2002 on the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using engines at work, and

-      the regulation of the Minister of Economy of 14 April 2000 on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines.

After determining a non-compliance, appropriate protective measures should be applied, known for this type of machines. It is recommended especially to reach out for solutions described in type C harmonized standards, used in currently produced woodworking machines.

If, for some reason, the ready solutions in terms of protective measures cannot be used, e.g. the machine is not typical or its design prevents from using protective measures as set out in the harmonized standard, risk assessment should be carried out. 

With regard to the machines used for the processing of wood, it is recommended to use the risk assessment method developed for the purpose of risk assessment of machines used in the process of their adjustment to the minimum safety requirements.

 

The method based on identified hazards (in accordance with D3.2) estimates the corresponding severity and probability of damage (usually injuries).

1.5.1    Severity of damage

Three-step scale for estimating the expected severity of damage (injury) — in accordance with the following table:

Table 2.5.1. Severity of damage

Severity	Consequences
High	Irreversible (e.g. death or permanent damage to health)
Average	Reversible (e.g. wounds, fractures which do not cause a permanent damage to health)
Low	Which do not result in inability to work (e.g. cuts, bruises)

 

1.5.2    Probability of damage

In order to facilitate the determination of this probability, first the exposure to the hazard needs to be determined, as well as the probability of hazardous event, and the probability of avoiding the damage. The tables for estimating the abovementioned elements of this probability are provided below.

Table 2.5.2. Probability of damage

Number of points N	Frequency and duration (of exposure)	Probability of occurrence of a hazardous event	Possibility of avoiding the damage
3	Every day  (more than 2 hours)	Highly probable	No possibility
2	Every day  (less than 2 hours)	Probable	Low possibility
1	Regularly (in specific periods)	Unlikely	Possible
0	Less than once a year	Not likely	Obviously possible

 

Frequency and duration (of exposure) — take into account:

-         the need for access to the hazardous area;

-         the nature and manner of access (e.g. manual feeding of the machine);

-         access frequency;

-         the time of presence in the hazardous area.

 

Note: 0 — e.g. transportation, assembly of the machine in the workplace, repair;

                1 –—e.g. periodic maintenance;

2 — e.g. systematic activities during the working day, e.g. replacement of tools, setting the parameters;

3 — e.g. operation in the workplace.

Probability of occurrence of a hazardous event is estimated taking into account:

-         the use of preventive measures;

-         the reliability of parts;

-         the history of accidents;

-         the nature of a system or a part (e.g. sharpness of the tool, clamping force, voltage, the speed of movement of the elements of the machine).

 

Note: 0 — e.g. category 4 protective devices used; fixed, permanent covers;

                1 — e.g. category 2 or 3 protective devices used; movable and lockable covers;

2 — human dependent protective measures used, e.g. movable covers with no locking function or warning and information labels;

3 — e.g. no protective measures, free access.

Possibility of preventing or reducing the damage can be estimated taking into account:

-         if the machine is operated by a qualified or unskilled operator;

-         if the hazardous event “occurs” quickly of slowly;

-         awareness of the hazard, e.g. as a result of information, observation, warning signs, etc.

 

Note: 0 — e.g. the hazardous event occurs slowly, possibility of manual control of the hazardous movement, possibility of observation of hazardous movement;

                1 — e.g. limited area of hazard, possibility of observation of hazardous movement;

2 — e.g. large area of hazard, limited possibility of observation of hazardous movement;

3 — e.g. an unexpected phenomenon, occurring very quickly.

 

 

Table 2.5.3. Estimating the probability of damage

S N	Probability of damage
7–9	High
4–6	Average
0–3	Low

 

1.5.3    Assessment and acceptability of risk

Estimating the risk should be performed with the matrix of risks set out in table 2.5.4.

Table 2.5.4. Risk matrix

Severity	Probability of damage
	High	Average	Low
High	High risk	High risk	Average risk
Average	High risk	Average risk	Low risk
Low	Average risk	Low risk	Low risk

 

After the risk estimation, its acceptability is determined in accordance with the table 2.5.4.  Preventive measures are also indicated in the table. These indications do not define specifically recommended preventive measures, but rather their urgency.

 

Table 2.5.5. Risk acceptability

Risk assessment	Risk acceptability	Indications for preventive measures
High risk	Unacceptable	Protective measures to reduce the risks associated with the use of the machine to an acceptable level must be applied immediately
Average risk	Acceptable	It is recommended to plan and undertake preventive activities to reduce the risk
Low risk	Acceptable	Supervision — it is necessary to check (periodic inspections) if the risk level remains unchanged

 

After planning and taking preventive measures it is recommended to re-assess the risk in relation to the applied protective measures.

The risk assessment results need to be documented and archived.